Bath appliance



July 12, 1938.

1.. BOWERS 2,123,398

BATH APPLIANCE Filed July 21, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l so 22 INVENTOR.

BY L. T. BOWERS L. T. BOWERS BATH APPLIANCE July 12, 1938.

I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 21, 1957 INVENTCR. L. T. 50 W555 \ATTORNEY.

FIEJD- Patented July 12, 1938 PATENT OFFICE BATH APPLIANCE Leverett T. Bowers, Pasadena, Calif., assignor of one-half to E. G. Ryer, Pasadena, Calif.

Application July 21, 1937, Serial No. 154,803

3 Claims.

This invention relates to bath appliances.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus whereby invalids' or others may be bathed in a tub.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved bathing apparatus which enables a patient to be it xered into and raised from a bath tub.

Another object of the invention is to provide a patient elevating apparatus for a bath tub wherein novel means is provided for preventing swaying of the patient supporting member.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved patient supporting member for a bath tub including a turn table which enables a patient to be moved into position wherein the patient may be lowered.

Other objects and the advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my invention showing it applied to a bath tub;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view showing the attaching means of the supporting roll;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view showing the supporting member;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the supporting member;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary bottom view showing the turntable support;

Fig. '7 is a section-taken on line 'I--I Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view showing the connec- 35 tion to the base member;

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a section taken on line IIII0 Fig. 9: and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary detail showing a mod- 40 ified form of securing means.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters I have shown my invention as embodied in a bathing apparatus which is indicated generally at In. As shown the apparatus is employed 45 in connection with a tub II which is shown as provided with a rolled rim I2 and a water supply source I3 but it will be understood that my invention is adapted for use with various types of tubs or other receptacles.

As shown my invention includes end members indicated generally at I4 and I5. The members I4 and I5 each include a transversely extending base I6 which extends across the tub and engages the upper surface of the rim I2. Each base I6 55 has a pair of brackets Il secured thereto as by fastening means I3. Thesebrackets I! are each bent as at l9 and include downwardly directed portions 20 with inwardly extending end portions 2I which are threaded to receive securing thumb nuts '22 which engage the lower edge 23 of the 5 rim I2. Each bracket I1 is preferably reinforced by a brace member 24 which is held in place by fastening means shown as rivets 25 and 26. The portions 20 serve to, prevent lateral movement of the brackets I1. I

In order to prevent inward longitudinal movement of the bases I6 I provide each with a strap 21 which is secured to the base as at 28 and includes a curved portion 29 and an end portion 30 which engages under the rim I2 of the tub 15 (see Fig. 3).

The brackets I'I extend upwardly as shown in Fig. 3 and adjacent their upper ends are each provided with a recess 3|. This recess is provided with a semi-circular lower portion which 20 receives a shaft 32. The shaft is held in the recess 3| by means of a pivoted arm 33 which is held in place by a locking member 34. Each of the shafts is provided at one end with an operating member 36 which is secured at the end of 25 the shaft as at 36.

The shaft has a pair of spaced collars 31 secured thereto by angular members 38 which are in turn suitably secured in place. The collars 31 receive a drum member 39 between them. Each 30 of the drum members is connected to the upper end of a fabric strip 40. The fabric strips 4|! depend so that they are disposed within the tub II as shown in Fig. 1 and at theirlower ends are pijovided with a hinge member 4| which is connected to a hinge member 42 by a pintle pin 43 so that the parts may be separated by withdrawing the pintle pin 43. The member 42 is mounted on the end of a frame 44. This frame 44 includes sides 45 and ends 46 with one of the ends 46 having brackets 41 thereon which receive rollers 48.

The frame 44 is preferably made of a strip of metal and is provided with transversely extending reinforcing members 49. One of the reinforcing members comprises two lengths which are bent to form a cylindrical recess 50.

The frame 44 receives a removable patient supporting member 5| which is provided with 2. depending flange 52 to prevent its accidental removal from the frame 44. Adjacent the portion 50 the patient supporting member 5| is apertured as at 53 (see Fig. 7) and through this aperture a sleeve 54 which is engaged by the portion 50 extends. This sleeve receives a post 55 which supports a turntable 56. The upper end 55 of the sleeve 54 engages a shoulder 58 on the lower portion of the turntable to provide a bearing surface.

The member l6 which is located at one end is provided with a downwardly extending frame 59 which is shown as comprising spaced angle members connected by a brace member 59' and which is engaged by the rollers 48 previously described.

The shaft 32 is provided with a ratchet 60 which is engaged by a pawl 6| (see Fig. 10) to hold the parts in adjusted position.

In use the appliance is arranged with the patient supporting member adjacent the top of the tub. The patient then sits upon the turntable 56 and then is moved to a sitting position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. It will be understood that I may omit the turntable if desired.

The pawls 6| are raised and the arms 35 are rotated and the patient is gradually lowered to the position shown in Fig. 1. To move the patient from the tub the arms 35 are moved in a reverse direction thus winding up the drums 39.

In the modification of my invention previously described the appliance is shown as applied to a tub having a rim with a down turned edge. In Fig. 11 I show my invention as applied to a rolled rim l2. In this modification similar parts are indicated by similarly primed reference characters. The portion 21' is provided with a thumb screw 62 which fits in a threaded aperture 63 in the rim to hold the parts assembled.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have invented a novel bath appliance which can be economically manufactured and which is highly efficient in use.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In a bath tub attachment, a pair of transverse base supports adapted to engage the upper portion of a tub, means to hold said supports in spaced relation, each of said supports having a pair of upwardly directed brackets thereon, said brackets being spaced apart, means to brace said brackets, a shaft rotatable on each pair of brackets, a drum fixed on each of said shafts, means to rotate said drums, means to hold said drums in set position, each of said drums having a flexible member thereon adapted to depend into a tub, a frame secured to the lower ends of said flexible members, a removable patient support on said frame, a turntable on said patient support, said frame having rollers thereon projecting beyond one end thereof and means engaged by said rollers to prevent longitudinal swinging of said patient support.

2. In a bath tub attachment, a pair of spaced drums, means to rotate said drums, a flexible member mounted upon each of said drums and adapted to be wound thereupon when the drums are rotated, said members being adapted to depend into a tub, an elongated frame secured at its end portions to said flexible member and means on one end of the frame engaging the tub to prevent swinging of the frame in one direction.

3. In a bath tub attachment, a pair of transverse supports adapted to engage the head portion and foot portion of a tub, a drum mounted on each of said supports, means to rotate said drums, means to hold said drums in adjusted position, each of said drums having flexible members thereon adapted to depend into a tub, an elongated frame, said frame having one end secured to the flexible member which is at the foot of a tub, said frame having its other end secured to the flexible member which is at the head of the tub whereby the flexible member at the head serves as a support for the back of a patient.

LEVERETI T. BOWERS. 

